The verdict
Documented Sampling History
A confirmed songwriter of record (Dahmane El Harrachi’s estate), no dispute found, and an extraordinarily wide record of legitimate cross-cultural reuse — Hebrew, Hindi, Turkish, Greek, Russian and Serbian versions, plus Rachid Taha’s famous 1990s cover.
Used by independents?
Yes — reinterpreted across independent world-music scenes — Rachid Taha, plus Hebrew, Turkish, Greek and Serbian versions.
Who you need to ask
The songwriter of record — Dahmane El Harrachi’s estate
Wikipedia → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Wikipedia → · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
Yes — famously covered by Rachid Taha (1993/97, #11 in France) and adapted into Hebrew, Hindi, Turkish, Greek, Russian and Serbian versions.
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; a confirmed writer of record and an extraordinarily wide, celebrated reuse history — no dispute.
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Dahmane El Harrachi (estate, following his 1980 death)
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
An extraordinarily wide cross-cultural adaptation
Covered and translated into Hebrew, Hindi, Turkish, Greek, Russian and Serbian — one of the most widely cross-culturally adapted songs researched in this project.
Wikipedia (Ya Rayah) · read it →
A legendary raï supergroup concert
Featured in the 1998 “1,2,3 Soleils” concert at Paris’s Bercy, bringing together three raï stars — Cheb Khaled, Rachid Taha and Faudel; the live album (produced by former punk musician Steve Hillage) went double gold.
maroc-o-phile · read it →
Extensive film and modern placements
Its melody was adapted for a different song in the 1999 Bollywood film “Mann”; it appears in the film “Something New,” was sampled in the Israeli hip-hop track “Belyby,” and was covered in 2012 by Amel Bouchoucha with Berber sounds, bringing it back toward its roots.
Wikipedia (Ya Rayah) · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
—
Times sampled
Rachid Taha + Hebrew/Hindi/Turkish/Greek/Russian/Serbian versions
Covers
1993
First flip
Big names who used itRachid Taha
Who to Contact
DH
Dahmane El Harrachi’s estate
The confirmed songwriter of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
Don't Want the Hassle?
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References
Every source cited on this page — 4 in total
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Batch 5)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending a separate manual keyfinder pass